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Summary: For as long as Skye could remember she had been alone. There would be times where she thought she could find a home, but in the end she was always proved wrong. Skye never had anything to hold onto, but that all changed with two pink lines.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Red lighting is the mastermind behind this story.
Beta: Uiop12092
Chapter One: Sunshine
Skye never once thought of herself as a morning person, but over the past few years she found herself waking up before the sunrise more and more. This was mostly due to the fact that she had a young daughter who was, in fact, a morning person and who loved to watch the sunrise. Grace was currently sitting on the bed looking out the window on the wall behind her mother.
Grace looked almost exactly like her mother had looked as a child, except her brown hair was lighter, she had a button nose and vibrant green eyes. She was an adorable child with a taste for mischief and adventure, something Skye was maybe too familiar with. Skye was laying down on the bed watching Grace as she waited for the sun to come up today and say hello with its golden rays.
"I think something's wrong," Grace pouted, "The sun's not up yet. Why is he still sleeping?"
Skye smiled at Grace reassuringly, "Maybe Mr Sun wants a few more minutes of rest before he has to come out. After all, lighting up the whole world is pretty exhausting."
Grace thought for moment before nodding in agreement with her mother's words. Although she wanted the sun to come up now, she could understand why he was taking longer than usual. It was the same with her mother who would sometimes mumble into her pillows, "Five more minutes Gracie." Sometimes Grace would let her mother sleep a little longer and other times she wouldn't. It usually depended on her ever changing mood as an almost four year old girl.
"Mommy look," Grace cried in excitement, "The sun is coming up."
Skye sat up in bed and looked over her shoulder at the window over her bed frame, the sunlight had come into the room and within the hour, the sun would sit above the horizon. Skye looked back at Grace to see the wonder and light in her green eyes that showed whenever something simple like this happened. It made Skye happy to know that Grace found wonder and joy in the little things that life had to offer. She hoped that it would help her in the future, seeing as this world held a lot of things that would want to tear her down.
Grace climbed over to her mom and sat in her lap with a wide grin, "Breakfast please."
"Pancakes," Skye said looking down at the little girl happily.
"With chocolate chips," Grace asked hopeful.
Skye nodded, "Of course."
Skye got out of bed with Grace's legs wrapped around her waist and arms around her neck. It always made Grace happy to watch her mother make the pancakes and throw in the chocolate chips when the batter was ready. These were the mornings Skye enjoyed the most, the peacefulness of it all and lack of worries. Although she always worried about who might be lurking around the corners, it was times like this when her daughter had her full attention that she could relax.
After Skye had made all the pancake batter she pulled out a bag of cookie cutters from the cabinet below the sink. Grace, as she put it, could not eat boring food. It had to be fun which meant it had to be some kind of shape. In order to make her happy Skye had bought two packs of cookie cutters for Grace to choose from and make the shapes she wanted. Grace searched through the bag of cookie cutters before deciding she wanted her pancakes to look like horses. Holding up the horse cookie shape, she smiled her mother pleased.
"Horse pancakes it is," Skye said taking the cutter.
Grace neighed happily making Skye chuckle in amusement. Skye poured the batter into the cookie cutter and before she knew, she had a stack of horse pancakes. Out of habit, Skye checked the time to see the green numbers 7:34. Skye usually worked in the morning, but today she had the day off which meant she could spend the entire day with her daughter, even though Skye hadn't left Grace's side since last month.
Grace couldn't go to daycare anymore and the possibility of sending her daughter to school had to be put on hold. Until Grace could control her herself, she couldn't really go anywhere without her mother nearby. This made Skye's life a little more complicated, but it needed to be done for Grace's safety. That was the most important thing to Skye and she wasn't about to jeopardize her daughter's safety now, nor would she ever.
Grace sat on her knees at the small kitchen tables eating her pancakes, which were now coated in maple syrup. Grace finished her pancakes in record time, unfortunately her hello kitty nightgown paid the price with syrup stains. After breakfast, it was time to get ready. It took Skye an hour to get Grace ready. Mostly because Grace didn't want to take a bath, then she didn't want to get out of the bath or put on her day outfit. Not to mention Grace could not sit still long enough for Skye to do her hair or help her get ready.
However at 9:02, Grace was dressed in blue jeans, pink sneakers and a light pink shirt that said in gold glittered letters, "I'm star." Skye had quickly changed into black jeans, a long sleeve purple shirt with a leather vest. Skye had been braiding Grace's hair when three knocks interrupted Grace's humming of It's a Small World. The knocks made Skye freeze in her spot. Grace looked up at her mom with a curious look. Usually if they were going to have guests, her mother would tell her at least an hour in advance.
Skye looked away from her daughter and in the direction of the knocking. Her heart began to beat rapidly in her chest as her fear and panic grew, but she kept a calm face. It wouldn't help if Grace saw her mother panic. Skye closed her eyes and focused on the vibrations that were coming from outside her door.. She focused on the heartbeats, listening to for the vibrations that would travel the bodies and into the ground.
Outside her door were two heart beats, one heartbeat steady and calm, the other stronger and more powerful. Skye opened her eyes, she wouldn't be able to determine if they were a threat from where she was standing, but she had to assume the worst. Just in case. Grace needed to hide. Skye had worked too hard to make sure Grace was hidden from her demons, she wasn't about to expose her now. The knocking started again, but Skye couldn't answer.
"Grace," Skye said placing her on the floor, "We're going to play a game."
"I like games," Grace asked with a happy face.
"Yes sweetheart, we're going to play hide and seek. Okay? I need you to go and hide."
A small frown formed on Grace's face when she realized what her mom was doing. Grace had learned that hide and seek was her mother's way of saying that she needed to get out of sight. Hide and seek meant that someone bad was looking for them.
Countless times her mother would play hide and seek with Grace when someone uninvited came around. If they were safe, her mother would start counting down dramatically and they would actually play hide and seek. If her mother didn't count down, then she knew they were in trouble.
"I don't want to hide," Grace pouted.
"Gracie," Skye said kneeling in front of her daughter, "I need you to go hide. Okay, please don't argue with me on this and go."
Grace's frown deepened, but she nodded and quickly went to find a hiding spot. Skye released a sigh, she knew all of Grace's hiding spots and all of them were in places they wouldn't look. At least she hoped they wouldn't look. Skye got off the floor, she walked out of her room and went down the little hall to the door. Trying not to show her nervousness and worry, she opened the door.
"This should be easy," Coulson said with a confidently, "We go in, talk for a minute and we're done."
"I thought we needed to bring this person back to the Bus," Ward questioned.
Coulson shook his head no in reply, "Unless they don't cooperate."
"You sure that's a good idea," Ward asked as he followed Coulson inside, " And what if he or she's really uncooperative?
Coulson gave Ward a knowing look, "Then this'll take a little longer than we hoped."
An hour ago Agent Fitz had made a connection between a Rising Tide hack and an online forum. The encrypted signature the hacker had used to infiltrate a SHIELD system was the same signature on the post. Agent Fitz, traced the signal back to this location. Coulson and Ward went to investigate and find out what the hacker's intentions were.
Coulson knocked and the two waited. When no reply came, Ward decided to knock on the door a little harder. Once again there was no answer which meant one of two things, no one was home or whoever they were looking for was expecting them. Coulson opened his mouth to call, but the sound of a lock clicking made him pause.
The door opened to reveal a young woman in her early twenties with light chocolate eyes, curly brown hair tied into a low ponytail that draped over her right shoulder. Coulson looked over the young woman, trying to get a read on her, but he didn't get much.
"Hi," the woman said, her voice soft, "Can I help you?"
Coulson smiled at her gently, "Hi, my name is Agent Coulson and this, is Agent Ward. We're with SHIELD and we wanted to ask you some questions miss..."
The woman ignored his prompting for her name and replied, "Why would you want to question me? I haven't done anything."
"We'll be the judge of that," Ward said to her flatly.
"We just want to ask you a few questions is all," Coulson told her cutting off Ward, "We could talk right here if you like."
The woman narrowed her eyes, "What exactly do you have to question me about?"
"Look," Ward said not bothering to hide his frustration, "You can either answer our questions or we take you in. Now what's it going to be."
Coulson was prepared to scold Ward for that, but didn't get the chance. The woman started to close the door, but Ward stopped her before she could slam it shut. However she was much stronger than he anticipated and the door slammed shut.
Coulson sighed, "That went well."
Ward rolled his eyes. He took a step back and began to kick the door, if she wouldn't let them in then they would force their way in. After kicking the door three times, it flew open. They walked cautiously down the little hallway with their guns on as they entered the living room, on the right was a TV and cabinets underneath while on the left was a couch. The woman appeared across from the agents.
"Get out of my suite," the woman stated, her eyes blazing.
"Miss," Coulson said calmly, "You need to come with us."
The woman only glared at them, "I said get out."
Ward advanced slowly, prepared to apprehend her, but she moved away, her arms raised. She was ready for a fight.
"Don't touch me," she growled fiercely.
"We don't want to hurt you," Coulson spoke gently, "We just need you to come with us, answer some questions, and then we will let you go free."
Coulson lowered the gun to the floor and although reluctant, Ward followed Coulson's lead. The woman didn't answer, she didn't do anything, but stand hesitantly. She faced Coulson and Ward but, Coulson noticed her eyes glanced at the cabinets on her left. Although her glance was fast enough that Coulson questioned whether or not it had happened, he knew she was hiding something. What was it?
"Tell me the real reason why you're here," the woman demanded.
"You need to calm down," Ward replied bitterly.
The woman glared at him, "You broke into my place and expect me to be calm about it?"
"If you hadn't shut the door on us we wouldn't have to break your door down," Ward retorted.
The young woman hissed, "I want you to leave."
"That's not going to happen," Ward stated simply, "Not without you."
The woman didn't back down, she shook her head, "No. Why are you really here? How did you get here? How did you find me?"
"You need to come with us," Ward said sharply, his brown eyes narrowing at her.
The woman went on, her gaze focused on Ward, "Not until you tell me what you want-"
While Ward and the unnamed woman argued, he made his way over to the cabinet and opened the door. He was met with the face of a child and wide green eyes stared up at him. Before Coulson could react, an unknown force threw him against the wall. The air was forced out of Coulson's lungs with the impact, he slumped to the floor with his back and chest aching.
He lifted his head to see the woman looking at him with fire in her eyes and her arms outstretched. Ward picked up his gun and pointed at her, but she lifted her palm to face him and pushed him down. Ward landed harshly, falling unconscious when he hit his head on the dresser. Coulson looked to see the little girl with green eyes run over to the woman.
"Mommy," the little girl cried as the woman lifted the little girl into her arms.
Coulson's eyes locked with the woman from his spot on the floor, he raised his arms in surrender, to show he meant no harm.
"We don't want to hurt you," Coulson told her honestly, "We can help."
Coulson noticed her grip tightened on her daughter at his words and he could see the distrust in her brown eyes.
Shaking her head, the woman replied, "You don't want to help us."
Coulson opened his mouth to protest, but the woman moved past him and his unconscious partner. A moment passed before Coulson was able to get onto his feet and check on Ward. He would find the woman and her daughter again, it was only a matter of time.
Skye felt like she couldn't breathe, she hadn't been this worried since she had to take Grace to the hospital a year ago. If she hadn't been able to get out of there, who knows what would have happened to her and Grace. Where would they have taken them? What would they do to them? Would SHIELD have separated her and her daughter?
Skye tried to shake the thoughts from her mind as she drove down the highway, but she couldn't stop thinking about it.
She looked into the rearview mirror of her car to see Grace laying on the bed in the back of the van, her knees to her chest. For a little while Skye and Grace had lived here until Skye had been able to find a real house for them to stay in. Although Grace said she loved the van, Skye knew that she wanted a big space to call home.
"You okay back there Gracie," Skye asked softly, as she turned off of the interstate.
Grace didn't answer, she only curled tighter into a ball on the bed with sad eyes. Skye frowned when she glanced back at Grace, it worried her that Grace was so quiet and that she was so upset. The last thing Skye wanted was for Grace's childhood to be filled with constant worry of being taken or having to stay hidden all the time. After a minute, Skye pulled over on the shoulder of the road. With the van parked, Skye went to the back and kneeled beside the bed.
Putting a hand on Grace's shoulder, she said, "I'm sorry you had to see that."
Grace shrugged half-heartedly, but made no verbal reply. Although Grace was barely four years old, she knew what it was like to lose someone she loved. She knew about the men in suits, the agents who claimed to want to help, but actually didn't care about them at all. Grace knew it all and she was afraid. Would she lose her mom to those men in suits?
"Grace," Skye said softly, "Please talk to me."
Grace's green eyes filled with tears as she whispered, "Were they going to split us?"
"I wasn't going to let that happen," Skye told her firmly.
"I don't wanna lose you," Grace said sadly, tears streaming her cheeks.
Skye pulled Grace into her arms and let the little girl sob into her chest. Grace clung to Skye, her small fists gripping Skye's shirt so tight that her knuckles were white. Skye noticed how the items on her desk began to rise a centimeter off the ground which meant Grace's powers were reacting to her sorrow. Gently, Skye rubbed Grace's back as she cried and slowly rocked her back and forth in her lap.
"You'll never lose me," Skye whispered, "I promised you I would never go away. Have I ever broken a promise to you?"
Grace shook her head no, but continued to cry. She didn't want to lose her mother and she was scared those men would come and take her away.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey," Skye sang sweetly as she continued to rock Grace.
"You'll n-never know d-dear how m-much I love you, p-please d-don't take m-my sunshine a-away," Grace finished tearfully.
She lifted her head to look up at her mom, her green eyes glazed over, nose and cheeks red from the crying. Skye wiped away her tears and said, "Everything will be alright Gracie. We will get through this, nothing bad will happen to you."
"Or you," Grace whimpered with sad eyes.
Skye nodded her head in response, not really trusting herself to speak. What if something did happen to her? Skye would do anything to keep Grace safe, but that meant she would be putting herself at risk. That didn't matter to Skye though, all that mattered was Grace being safe. Skye glanced at the objects above her desk float down.
Grace lifted her hand, her pinky raised high as she sniffed, "Pinky promise?"
Skye lifted her pinky and wrapped it around her daughter's small pinky, "I pinky promise."
Grace smiled happily, the sadness disappearing from her face and that gave Skye hope. Looking at her daughter gave Skye hope that the world wasn't all bad, that somehow, someway they would be okay.